October is a busy month for birds here in the Atlanta area.
Many of them have begun the long flight to their winter homes and stop by for a brief visit en route. The other day, I looked out in the backyard and was pleased to see my favorite migrator, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

This fellow is a youngster and is still losing the brown feathers of his youth. Although he started off as the spittin’ image of his tan-toned Mama, he is now beginning to display the black and white boldness of his Dad and is already sporting the tell-tale rose tinged breast.

Most of the time, he stayed concealed among the Dogwood leaves, busily munching on berries to fuel up for the rest of his journey. Getting a picture of him felt like a game of Peek-a-boo where I was continually on the losing end.

It was fascinating to watch him eat several berries, and then carry one over to a notch in the branch for easier dining.

Every once in awhile, he would head down to the fountain for a quick drink, and then get right back to his feasting.

A female has been tagging along with him, but she has been hesitant to come close when I have been out with my camera. There is such a gentle loveliness about this shy gal.

Once his belly was sufficiently full, the young fellow settled on a branch for a brief rest, and then off he flew for another round of berries.

I hope he stops by on his return flight in April and humors me with a few more photos. By then, this young Grosbeak’s colors and patterns will be breathtaking.

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About kathydoremus

Wife, mother, daughter, and friend.
One who dabbles in writing, thinks in rhyme, and
is utterly unable to escape the allure of
alliteration:)
Amateur nature photographer.
A backyard bird watcher, a hiker of non-strenuous
trails to waterfalls, and a fan of Atlanta sports teams.
Driver of an orange Jeep Renegade who goes by the name of Earl.
One who is nourished by silence, solitude, and a good cup of coffee.
A lover of God’s Word and the riches that are hidden there.
An extremely ordinary jar of clay who longs to see and be satisfied by the glory of God, and to somehow display that in my everyday life.

Oh, your birds are wonderful and cheer me up every day. I am going to pick one of your birds to sketch for Oct 8 “Draw a Bird Day,” which I found out about through a WordPress follower (8th of each month).